


How Sweet It Sounds

by himimakis



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), F/F, Fluff, its just some gay stuff, theyre in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 10:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13634868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himimakis/pseuds/himimakis
Summary: Despite the rain, the hail, the wind and the thunder, the sound of the piano was the loudest.





	How Sweet It Sounds

Thursday afternoon, it was snowing quite heavily. Usually, that would be a soft sight accompanied by laughing students running around with scarves wrapped around their necks, delighted by the pricking cold of the snowflakes touching their skin. But the weather was terrible. Rain, hail, and strong winds made it hard for most to enjoy the end of the school day.

People poured out of the building while clutching their umbrellas and holding their bags above their heads, anything to keep their heads at least somewhat dry. Leaning against a back wall, Maki Harukawa’s eyes followed every person until the last girl ran after her friends outside, and the entrance hall doors shut with a blunt bang. 

Maki didn’t flinch at the sound and the echo after it. She was used to it because she’d do this every day. It was her daily routine to wait at school until Himiko Yumeno and Shuuichi Saihara finished their club activities so she could walk home with them. Saihara once attempted to tease Maki about her soft spot for them, but her infamous glare shut him up. Himiko claimed she used a love spell on Maki so she would never leave their side. They all knew Himiko’s magic wasn’t real, but it was too cute to disagree with.

Sighing, Maki stretched her arms out and walked towards the window and rested her elbows on the window sill, slumping lazily. She yawned as she watched the chaos outside still unfolding. Thunder boomed loudly and lightning tore through the sky. And as out of nowhere, Maki’s ears picked up the sound of piano keys from down the hall, coming from the music room.

Turning her head, she wondered how the person got there without her noticing them walking past her. That was the only way there, after all. Apart from the thunder and pitter patter of the rain, it was dead quiet in the building.

Curiosity killed the cat, and Maki’s footsteps now filled the empty halls as she made her way to the music room. She already knew who it was, as there was only one person in the school who could play so smoothly.

She leaned against the doorframe, silently watching the dubbed “piano freak,” Kaede Akamatsu, playing the sweet melody with shut eyes and a small smile on her face.

There was something so captivating about watching Kaede play the piano. She looked so relaxed and at peace; as if even time had stopped to listen to her song. Her nimble fingers slid from key to key as if she has been doing this her whole life. Which she probably has.

Maki couldn’t stop herself from staring at the girl and letting herself get enveloped by the gentle song. She only came back to her senses when a voice interrupted the flow of the notes.

“Oh, Maki! I didn’t see you there..” Kaede said with a bit of shock, a soft blush rising to her cheeks. She turned towards Maki on the small stool, placing her hands on her lap. “Is there anything you need?”

Maki didn’t know what to say to her. She was embarrassed to say the least, and internally panicked. Her body stiffened. “Do you want to die?” She blurted out sharply and without thinking. When Kaede’s eyes widened and she glanced around the room anxiously, Maki realised what she had said. “I mean… what song was that?”

Kaede visibly loosened up and let out a sigh, looking up at Maki with a smile. “Ah, that was “Meine Freuden”... by Chopin and Liszt. Did you like it?”  
Maki never heard those names in her life. But she slowly nodded, while Kaede looked her straight in the eyes, and she stared right back. Maki straightened up, ready to leave, but Kaede interrupted her before she could take her first step. 

“I can play it again! For you, if you’d like me to…” Kaede exclaimed quite loudly, her voice echoing around the room. Maki stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at Kaede, who was blushing yet again, and looked kind of desperate. Maki had never seen her like this. In class, Kaede is always joyful and optimistic, always ready to help others. Even during exam season, Kaede was always supporting others and encouraging them. After 2 years of being in the same class, this was the first time Maki had seen Kaede look like this. She was a bit shocked.

“Yeah,” Maki replied, “That… would be nice.”

In an instant, Kaede was beaming. She scooted over and patted the space beside her, urging Maki to join her on the stool and she did, albeit a bit reluctantly. They were sitting really close, Maki noticed. After she got comfortable, Kaede’s fingers returned to their place on the piano. “You’re very tense, Maki. You should relax.” Kaede commented and only then Maki realised what she said was true. She moved away a bit from Kaede and gripped the side of the stool. Kaede sighed through her nose and began playing.

Maki leaned her head back slightly and closed her eyes, taking in the music. Somehow, it was even better than before. But this time, Maki couldn’t lose herself in the music. This was the first time she had ever been so close to anyone. She tried to ignore the feeling, but she felt Kaede’s body swaying slightly to the song, left to right, away from Maki and towards Maki. She felt her face getting hotter.

When Kaede’s song came to an end, Maki opened her eyes, and found herself staring at her lap. She felt a newfound fear deep in her chest at the thought of looking up. She did it though, and her eyes met Kaede, who was looking straight at her, smiling.

The 2 girls gazed at each other for a minute, which turned to 3 minutes. It didn’t feel as awkward anymore, but it was tense. Maki felt tense, but she didn’t look away. She didn’t want to. She studied Kaede’s face; her eyes, her pretty hair framing her pretty face. Her dorky hair pins, shaped like music notes.

Suddenly, Kaede opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by a shrill noise coming from down the hall.

“Maki! Maki! Where are you?!”  
“Himiko, please, she’s probably somewhere around here.”  
“What if she left us?”  
“Maki wouldn’t do that. She would tell us if she was going somewhere.”

Instead of saying what she wanted to, Kaede laughed. “I think they’re looking for you.”

Maki looked away. “Yeah,” she said. She rose to her feet and looked down at Kaede, whose fingers were still resting on the piano. “I’ve to go. See you in tomorrow,” Maki whispered and exited the room. Just as she was about to turn the corner, she heard a loud “hey!” from behind her. She spun around to find Kaede with her hand against the doorframe, looking at Maki nervously, chest heaving up and down.

“Do you want to meet here tomorrow, at the same time?” Kaede asked. She was trying to sound confident, but her voice wavered a bit in the middle. “I can play some more songs for you.” She continued.

Maki blinked and licked her dry lips. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “Yeah, I’d love to.” Her voice got louder as did the beating of her heart.

Kaede smiled with relief. “See you then, Maki,” she said finally, before returning to the music room.

Maki’s gaze lingered at where Kaede stood for a second. She remembered about Himiko and Saihara and jogged to them, who greeted her with smiles and questions of her whereabouts. She told them it was none of their business. 

The three walked slowly through the entrance hall, heading towards the door. They stopped in their tracks as music filled the air once again. They stood and listened for a while. “Kaede must be in the music room again,” Saihara wondered. “She’s sooo good…” Himiko sighed. The two were so deep in their conversation that they didn’t notice the minuscule smile that crept up on Maki’s face.

To Maki’s surprise, the rain and winds had ceased since she last saw the outside. When Saihara opened the door, she was met with the sight of her friends picking up mucky, grey snow and forming snowballs, belting each other with them in the faces. Even the sun had come out, peeking through the grey clouds. 

“Looks like Kaede’s playing can even cheer up the weather!” Himiko marvelled and ran to join in others in their game. Saihara chuckled. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Maki sighed, Kaede’s music still ringing in her ears. “It’s beautiful.”

**Author's Note:**

> MY FIRST FIC IN YEARS!! i hope its good enough, also im too tired to proof read rn oops


End file.
